FITNESS & NUTRITION
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Scissors( rectus abdominus): Lie on your back with your arms and legs fully extended, hands and feet touching the floor( top photo). Slowly bring your arms and legs straight up at the same time so they meet directly above your torso, and then slowly lower to the starting position. Do 3 sets of 15-25 reps.
Trunk Raise( lower back muscles, erector spinae): Lie on your stomach with your hands behind your neck, arch your back while simultaneously raising both legs and hold for 10-15 seconds. Do 3 sets of 10-12 reps. For additional resistance add ankle weights and a light weight behind the head.
Lower back pain can also be caused or exacerbated by numerous other factors and activities other than pickleball, especially poor posture. Posture problems occur primarily with poor posture while sitting on a chair or to a lesser extent while standing. Slouching while sitting or standing rounds out the lower back and puts stress on and inflames the ligaments, muscles and tendons along the sides of the spine. These secondary factors caused by poor posture are a common cause of lower back pain. Many chairs, couches and car seats provide poor lower back support. A cheap and easy way
to increase lower back support is to make a roll out of a thick towel and place it behind the lower back while seated.
TREATMENT OPTIONS FOR LOWER BACK PAIN
If you do develop lower back pain, don’ t panic; most incidents of lower back pain are not serious and will resolve within a couple of weeks with simple home selfcare. Almost 85 % of the population has back pain at some time in their lives and 97 % of these people get well in 4-6 weeks with conservative treatment. In addition, there are many treatment options available to deal with this very common condition. Lower back pain is divided into one of three general categories: 1. Nonspecific lower back pain( 85 % of patients fall into this category); most classified as strains and sprains. 2. Back pain potentially associated with spinal conditions, such as spinal stenosis, disc lesions, vertebral compression and fractures.
3. Back pain potentially associated with another specific cause such as malignancies, space occupying lesions, infection or vascular problems.
There are certain signs and symptoms associated with lower back pain that can indicate a serious situation where emergency treatment is needed immediately. 1. Cauda Equina syndrome; this is a serious neurologic condition in which there is an acute loss of function of the lumbar plexus. It is characterized by numerous signs and symptoms including sudden loss of bowel and / or bladder control or dysfunction, severe or progressive neurologic changes, saddle anesthesia, weakness of the lower extremities, and possibly a drop foot.
2. Severe lower back pain following significant trauma.
3. Severe continuous abdominal and lower back pain could indicate an abdominal aortic aneurysm.
4. Night pain, weight loss, fever or other signs of infection or cancer that accompany severe lower back pain.
If you have developed lower back pain it is important to stay active and try to rest in a comfortable position. Take short walks or stretch every few hours to loosen up the muscles and tendons. Staying active is much better for recovery than strict bed rest. In fact, staying in bed for more than one or two days can actually worsen the condition by increasing stiffness and increase muscle weakness. If there is severe pain and muscle spasms consider the application of an ice pack for 15-20 minutes several times a day and taking over-the-counter medication. The medications commonly taken for this are known as NSAIDS or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, such as Ibuprofen( Advil or Motrin), Naproxen( Aleve or Naprosyn) or Salicylates( Aspirin). If the pain, inflammation and muscle spasms persist for more than a couple of weeks, consider seeing a health care specialist who specializes in the treatment of musculoskeletal disorders. Consider treatment with physical therapy modalities, rehabilitation, and mobilization. Surgery is rarely needed for lower back pain, even in the presence of a disc injury or nerve damage. Once you have a significant incidence of lower back pain, the problem is more likely to recur. To avoid future episodes of lower back pain keep your abdomen and core muscles strong, use good posture, keep your weight down and lift properly. •
Alan Bragman is a chiropractor living in Atlanta, Georgia. He is a former Cat 3 cyclist and nationally ranked table tennis player, inline speed skater, a certified IPTPA coach and a 4.5 level player. He was on the medical advisory board at Bicycling magazine for 10 years and has written for numerous other sports publications.
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